(PHOTO AND STORY: KHQ.COM)
The Mayor of Sandpoint is responding to flyers he is calling criminal that have been distributed throughout Sandpoint and Bonner County.
The flyers show a picture of Mayor Shelby Rognstad with a quote that reads, "At this point in time, Sandpoint has not yet learned how to be multi-cultural and I'm going to be part of the throes of that transformation, which must take place. Sandpoint is not going to be the homogenous (sic) that it once was in the last century. I'm going to be at the center of that. It's a huge transformation for Sandpoint to make. It is now going into multi-cultural mode and I will be resented because of my leading role. But without that leading role and without that transformation, Sandpoint will not survive."
The flyer goes on to ask people to support the mayor in the "darkening in Sandpoint" because it will make everyone prosperous.
Mayor Rognstad said the flyers were placed in the Bonner County Bee after distribution and also as a mailer to city and county residents.
"Clearly they are aimed at misinforming the public and promoting a racist and hateful message," Rognstad wrote in a release Wednesday, calling the flyers reminiscent of a robocall campaign that occurred during the last mayoral election in Sandpoint.
The Mayor gave the following statement about the flyers:
Dear Sandpoint and Bonner County residents, you may have received an illegal flyer in the mail with my photo and a false quote with commentary promoting hate and misinformation. This is the second unlawful flyer distributed throughout the greater Sandpoint area in the last few weeks. This community responds to hate and ignorance with the power of truth and justice.
Know that as your Mayor, my purpose remains clear. I am here to promote economic prosperity by supporting job growth, innovative industry, local business and enhancing the tremendous quality of life we enjoy here in Sandpoint. At the same time I stand in support of human rights and a fair and equitable society. We are so blessed to live in such beautiful place, in such a beautiful community. I will continue to work with all of you to retain the best of Sandpoint while positioning our town to be evermore successful in the future. We have the raw ingredients for incredible prosperity and by working together, in alignment, we can all actualize that success together.